Whiffletree-hook.



T. E. EWER.

WHIFPLETREE HOOK.

. APPLICATION FILED JAN.2,1909.

956,630. Patented May 3, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTCE.

THOMAS E. EWER, OF FORT DES MOINES, IOWA.

WHIFFLETREE-HOOK.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS E. EWER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Des Moines, in the county of Folk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful lVhifiietree-Hook, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in whiffietree hooks.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable whittletree hook of inexpensive construction, adapted to be easily applied to a swingletree, or other whiflietree without the use of a black smith or other skilled workman, and capable pf being readily tightened when it becomes oose.

A further object of the invention is to provide a whifiietree hook of this character, adapted to enable a horse to be readily unhitched when desired.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a whifiietree hook, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, the split ring being shown closed in full lines and open in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the whiffietree hook. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4.- t of Fig. 3.

The whiiiletree hook comprises in its construction the cufi 1, having upper and lower sections or members 2 and 3 and adapted to V embrace a whlfiletree, the sections or members being provided at their inner faces with pointed projections 4 for enabling them to securely grip the whifiletree to prevent the device from slipping thereon. The upper and lower sections are approximately semicircular to conform to the configuration of the whiffietree, and the lower section is provided at its front end with a transverse slot 5, forming a loop and receiving a projecting tongue 6 of the front end of the upper sec- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 2, 1909.

Patented May 3, 1910.

Serial No. 470,513.

tion 2 of the cuff. The tongue 6 is straight, and the opening 5 is flared outwardly to permit a limited pivotal or hinged movement of the sections or members of the cuff to enable them to grip and release a whiffietree. In practice the sections or members of the cuff will not, when first applied to a whiflietree, be at the limit of their inward or closing movement, so that after the wood of such whiflietree becomes worn, the wear may be taken up by tightening the thumb nut 7 of a bolt 8, which connects the rear end of the sections or members of the cuff.

The upper section or member 2 is provided at its rear end with a horizontal ear or extension 9, and the rear end of the lower section or member 3 is provided with an integral horizontal neck or portion 10, arranged in spaced relation with the ear 9 and connecting a relatively fixed member 11 of a split ring 12 with the lower section or member of the cuff. The split ring, which is vertically disposed, is composed of two approximately hooked-shaped members 11 and 13, provided with overlapping bills or portions and forming a vertical ring or eye, when the bills or portions are closed or fitted tigether. The lower member of the split ring is formed integral with the lower section of the cuff, and the upper member 13, which is laterally separable, is pivotally connected with the cuff and with the lower member 11 by means of the bolt 8, which secures the sections of the cuff together. The inner end of the upper laterally movable member of the split ring is provided with an eye 14, interposed between the neck 10 and the spaced ear 9, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing. When the split ring is open, it will enable the whiflietree to be readily connected with or disconnected from a clevis, and the tension on the whiflietree hook will maintain the members of the ring in their closed position while the device is in use. The sections of the cuff form a clamp and obviate the necessity of perforating the whifiletree, and by this construction the device may be readily applied to a whifiietree without the aid of a blacksmith, or other skilled workman.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A whiflietree hook including a cuif composed of sections detachably interlocked at one end, a. fastening device piercing the other end of the sections and connecting the same to clamp a whiffietree, and a split ring having laterally separable members, one of the members being integral with one of the sections of the cuff and maintaining the split ring in spaced relation with the said cuff, and the other member being pivotally connected with the cuff by the said fastening device.

A whifiletree hook including a cuff composed of sections detachably interlocked at the rear ends, a fastening device piercing the front ends of the sections to clamp the whittletree, and a vertically disposed split ring composed of substantially hook-shaped upper and lower members, the lower member being formed integral with one of the sections of the cuff and maintaining the split ring in fixed relation with the same, and the upper member being pivoted to the lower member by the said fastening device.

3. A whiffietree hook including a cuif composed of sections detachably interlocked at their rear ends and provided at their front ends with abutting portions and having spaced projecting portions, a fastening device piercing the spaced projecting portions and connecting the sections to clamp a whiffietree, and a vertically disposed split ring composed of upper and lower hookshaped members, one of the members being formed integral with one of the said projecting portions and maintaining the split ring in fixed'relation with the cuff, and the other member being provided with an eye arranged in the space between the said projecting portions of the cufl and pivoted to the same by the said fastening device.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS E. EWVER.

lVitnesses GEORGE TURNER, LUDWIG WVoLr. 

